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Crime Reporter
The director of a local firm which reportedly imported 37 million litres of fuel worth millions of dollars for resale on the pretext that it was meant for the Zimbabwe Defence Industries has gone into hiding.

Police yesterday said they were keen to question Glow Petroleum director Mr Aaron Chinhara in connection with the case.

“We have raided some of his houses in Kwekwe and Mount Pleasant but we cannot locate him.

“We have since launched a manhunt for him,” said a senior police officer close to the investigations.

Chinhara is no longer reachable on his mobile phones.

The Herald understands that a docket has since been compiled.

It is believed Chinhara is still in the country.

The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority, which has also launched investigations into a case, has submitted a report to the police.

Zimra director Legal and Corporate Services Ms Florence Jambwa yesterday said they were not able to comment on the issue.

“The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) is precluded by the Revenue Authority Act (Chapter 23:11) from providing specific information concerning its clients to a third party.

“I am, therefore, unable to comment or provide the requested information because it is protected by the secrecy provisions of the Revenue Authority Act,” she said.

Glow Petroleum, which distributed the fuel to its service stations countrywide, is believed to have defrauded Government of more than US$13 million over the past six months by evading customs duty and other charges.

Some senior Government officials, prominent politicians and businesspeople have been implicated in the scam.

The Herald is in possession of some of the documents bearing the dates and the fuel quantities withdrawn by the company at Feruka and Msasa Depots.

The politicians and businesspeople (names supplied) were working with Chinhara, one of the MDC-T rebels who contested the Redcliff seat during the July 31, 2013 harmonised elections as an independent candidate.

Chinhara and some of his managers are still assisting police with investigations.

Although finer details of the investigations were not available as of last night, The Herald understands that the net was closing in on some senior Government ministers and other officials in the chain.

Police last week received a tip-off and raided some of the company’s premises in and around Harare.

One of the company drivers was allegedly forced to abandon his tanker at a service station in Southerton after he was cornered by detectives.

The driver wanted to offload the fuel when detectives received a tip-off about the consignment.

Several trucks have since been impounded by police after being abandoned by drivers as investigations continue.

The fuel scam came to light following a price war in Gwanda that saw Glow Petroleum selling its fuel at significantly lower prices compared to other service stations.